zsombor's lair

HaloScan.com – Weblog Commenting and Trackback:

HaloScan provides a free, easy to use commenting and trackback service for weblogs and websites, allowing visitors to leave feedback, share their opinion, or comment on the subject at hand.

Nicely put no? Gives you that warmth feeling of reassurance that this is “free service”. Well for once if you claim to  be something better be that something. And if there are interpretable items better address them in in clear and visible manner.  The Signup page would be good candidate, the Terms of Service page will suffice, or perhaps the Comments Faq page?

Apparently Haloscan did not think so. And while I fully understand that somebody has to pay for my “free” enjoyment, I’m less sympathetic with aggressive tactics to squeeze your users. That’s how I felt when after a year of happy usage, I realized the reason why old comments kept on disappearing from my blog. You see Haloscan will “archive” your comments after four months.

A policy certainly not advertised on their front page, not showing comments older than four months does not sound like “Free Commenting” at all. Archived? How about inaccessible to everyone till I upgrade my account. Talk about  honest business  practices.

They also have an “Export” feature the kind you implement for your users to feel a clear message: you are not using a closed system, you can leave us at any time, no harm done data is yours. Reasonable? Again apparently not, since I need an upgraded account or else export is just teaser menu-item. Where is my clear opt-out?

To top it off they have a donate page, that clearly explains the advantages of becoming a “premium” member, without detailing the disadvantages of not doing so.